


Cool

by afterawhile



Series: she just wants to talk through the daytime [1]
Category: BLACKPINK (Band), EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Amusement Parks, Eventual Smut, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Smut, High School, Humor, Park Chanyeol is a simp, Young Love, boy obsessed with girl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-25 03:21:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30082710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afterawhile/pseuds/afterawhile
Summary: Rosie isn’t a fan of amusement parks. And Chanyeol is  determined to show her what she is missing.Based on the song Cool by Dua Lipa
Relationships: Park Chaeyoung | Rosé/Park Chanyeol
Series: she just wants to talk through the daytime [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2213388
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	Cool

**Author's Note:**

> yo
> 
> I’m not new to writing (some may recognize me from Wattpad and/or twitter where I do AUs there. If you don’t know me, afterawhile is my username everywhere. 
> 
> Enjoy ^.^

I don't really like amusement parks."

Jennie whipped around, dropping her jaw. Over exaggerating like normal. "What?" Her sharp tone echoed through the locker room, causing some of our teammate turn to look. 

Her silk black hair was pulled into a high pony tail, spikes from her layers poking out playfully. She was still clad in our volleyball uniform from practice —tight ass shorts and the short sleeved athletic top. 

"I just don't understand the excitement." I shrugged, reaching back to release my blonde mane from the confines of my hair tie.

Jennie held up her hand to count, her face hard and ready to teach me a lesson. "One, it's the last day of the school year. Not to mention our last day of high school. Two, Six Flags is amazing. And three, the most important one. It's a day to spend with me, your best friend!"

I laughed at her theatrics, shaking my head, "Jen, it's not like I'm never going to see you again. We are going to the same University, remember? UCLA? Volleyball scholarships? Because we are badasses? Ring any bells?" 

"Rosie, it's the last day of our senior year! The last day of our legacy here, together." 

"Oh please, you'll be lip locked with Kai the whole time anyways. Why does it matter if I'm there?" My eyes rolled. Spending a whole day in the heat while they made out would not fun by any means. 

"Okay, and?"

I narrowed my eyes, slipping a oversized hoodie to cover my body instead of changing. It was the end of the day, anyways. "And I'm not going to be a third wheel."

"You won't be, his friends will be around." 

"Great, the rowdy ones." By the look in her eyes. Jennie didn't miss the cheerful sarcasm in my voice.

"You haven't even give them a chance. You know, they are really fun. Lisa is so cool, you will like her." Jennie began rambling as they left the locker room. "Sehun, his other friend, and her have this thing going on and it's been interesting to watch." 

"Oh so I'll be the fifth wheel." 

Honestly, the amount many times Jennie had tried to get me to come to things in this new group of friends she acquired had to be well into the double digits. Jennie was a persistent woman. Her relationship with Kai was new, but he would be joining us at UCLA next fall and it seemed serious. I had my volleyball girls. And wasn't that I'm shy or on the other end, a bitch. I just had no interest. Her branching out didn't really bother me either. At the end of the day, her and I were like sisters. That would never change.

"Well, no. There is Baekhyun and Chanyeol too." She pointed out, throwing her bag into the back seat of my dull yellow Jeep. 

My eyebrows furrowed, trying to recall their faces. "You mean the guy with the ears from chemistry?" 

"Yep," She nodded, hooking up her phone to play music. I smiled and waved my head when Doja began playing. Though she was pushy, her music taste was immaculate. "He's a cool guy." 

Going to the same high school for the last four years, I knew most everyone. But Chanyeol Park was one I had never really talked to other than the few class projects over the years. He was the talkative one, making jokes and annoying the teachers. Even getting sent to the principal's office every now and then when he pushed too many buttons. Just your stereotypical cute class clown. 

"His jokes in class are a little lame." 

"It's only certain teachers he likes to annoy too. He's silent in the colonial history class I have with him." She shrugged nonchalantly. 

I snort a laugh, "I find that hard to believe. Him and the rest of that group are so loud at our matches." 

Since her and Kai started dating, Jennie had her own cheerleading crew. They came to almost every match, cheering her and the rest of the team on. Jennie Kim never gets embarrassed but I had never seen her cheeks so red the first time they came, chanting her name. I found it kind of adorable how supportive Kai already was, even right in the beginning. 

"Really, Rosie. You should hang out with us one of these times." Jennie persisted. 

"Blah, boy." She laughed as I gagged with fake disgust. Well, partially fake. "I've got the girls and you. I'm good." 

Braking slowly at a light, I tipped my head to look up at the purple and pink sky above me through the open roof. As exciting as UCLA was, I wasn't ready to leave nights like these. Driving home with Jennie after practice, the wind through my Jeep while she played the best music. Maybe that's why I was so opposed to anything new, anything changing. 

Everything I knew, the comfort of my high school years, was almost over. All of it was changing an a week. 

"Speak of the fucking devil." Jennie laughed beside me, her squeal pulling my attention from the sky. "Baby!"

A old Land Rover pulled up next to us, all the windows down. None other than her boyfriend, Kai hung out the back seat window. A grin curled on my lips watching Jennie lean towards him to peck his lips, creating a bridge between the cars. 

"We saw you guys leave practice, thought we'd try to catch up." Kai explained, looking past Jennie's shoulder. "Hi, Rosie!" 

"Hello, Kai." I giggled in reply, he really was a sweet guy. 

When my eyes drifted to the driver on the car that Kai was currently still hanging out of, it really had been speak of the devil. Jennie wasn't kidding.

Park Chanyeol, hat backwards with his ears and all sat behind the wheel. His sight darting between his phone in hand as he picked music and the light, waiting for it to go green. He was bobbing his head to whatever song was playing, our music too loud for me to know which one. Sehun, the other rambunctious one, sat beside him in the passenger seat. His lips moving as he said something to Chanyeol, nodding his head towards towards my car. Chanyeol looked to his friend with a confused pout and eyebrow curl before quickly turning his head in my direction. 

He put his phone away, bringing his fingers to drum on the steering wheel and paring it with a lopsided smile directed at me. He had a boyish charm to him, it fit with his class clown persona. I gave an indifferent grin as my greeting, diverting my eyes away before his look got even more flirtatious than it was, even if he didn't mean for it to be. There was no point in feeding into it, not with only a week left. Even if my eyes caught the dimple in his cheek, had he always had that? 

"Wanna race?" Chanyeol yell from his window, trying to rope back my attention. It took me off guard that he was initiating conversation. 

I arched my brow, "Who are you? Vin Dessel?" My Jeep wasn't exactly Fast and Furious material, and neither was his Land Rover. 

He laughed, biting his tongue playfully. "No, but I can be if you'd like." 

"Ludacris is more my type." I fought the smile that inched at my lips. 

"Ludacris is my cousin." He looked proud and smug, but I could see right past it. The one thing I knew about him was his jokester mentality. It didn't surprise me that this was his normal pick up efforts, playing the silly, bright eyed boy. Girl at this school loved that type.

I laughed and shook my head, ripping away my eyes from his sparkling ones. "Bullshit." Why was this light taking so long?

"Nah, you're right. But it got you to laugh, so I'll take it." 

"Was that on your checklist or something?" I rolled my eyes at his efforts to flirt. It was dumb but in the cutest way, I had to admit. No wonder some of the girls on the team talked about him, even if he was ridiculous. 

"Maybe." 

My stomach fluttered for a moment as his lips tugged into a slow smile. It wasn't our first time having a conversation but it was the first time I felt my cheeks heat. It was the first time he smiled at me like he was. at least one that I noticed. I cleared my throat, turning around to view Jennie and Kai still giving sweet kisses to each other. When really, it was an effort to hide my blush. 

"Okay, lovebirds." I drawled to the couple, looking to the walk counter hit zero. "The light is about to change." 

The light switched green, my Jeep rolled to move just as I gave Chanyeol one last non-amused look, hoping it was enough to show that despite making me blush, I knew it was all a show. His head tipped and twirled I'm disappointment before he was out of my view, but this was how he was. In class and around the halls. He just liked to play and joke. 

"So?" Jennie looked at me with the highest brows, wiggling them with anticipation and hope sparkling in her eyes. "Will you come? Please, please, please!"

I laughed as she clutched onto my arm, dropping her head of dark hair onto my shoulder. A part of me understood why it was so important to her for me to join, she had a point. This was it until we moved onto a new chapter together, it was like a salute to our last four years. 

A day of screams and the hot sun wouldn't change everything I knew. The logic started to overtake the self made drama in my head. It wouldn't be so bad to possibly make new friends and spend the day with Jennie, even if she and Kai would be eating each other's faces the entire day. 

"The things I do for you, boo." The decision to say yes was for a day with my best friend. 

And not for the boy with the cute dimple.

—————

My eyes started picking him out in heads of my classmates, we crossed paths more than I thought, walking down the hallway with Kai or in the cafeteria as he threw chips at Sehun and Lisa when stares got just a little too flirtatious. The brutal final in chemistry had most of my attention during the class we shared, too busy with test anxiety to be paying attention to the boy in the back of the room, except for when he finished the test first. The teacher looked at Chanyeol suspiciously, in which he just responded with:

'Too easy, Mr. Bemus." 

I bit at the end of my pencil to stop my stifled laugh and glanced back down to the chemical equations below me before Chanyeol was turned around 

But things stayed the same. Other than a couple glances throughout the week, we didn't talk or really interact. Just the same as it always has been. The end of the year excitement was getting to us all, sidetracking me into spending the last week in these hallways and with my friends. 

The graduation ceremony had been all I could have dreamed of. The sense of pride and overwhelming emotion that people talked about was very true, I felt it all as we all walked on the stage, shaking the hands of the teachers and our mentors throughout the years. When his name was called, my heart jumped in excitement that I hadn't expected. The whole crowd laughed when he bounced on to the stage and hit the woah while receiving his diploma, bowing to the cheers before he descended the stairs. 

"What's with the smile?" I could feel Jennie's eyes on my side profile as we clapped

"He's such a weirdo." I had whispered back to Jennie, laughing. 

"He's also pretty cute." She teased back, nudging her elbow against mine. I only responded with an eye roll. Cute or not, little heart leaps and all, high school was over. 

Our Volleyball coach got emotional when the team grouped up, doing our pregame cheer for the last time. Blinking away my tears and fanning my face, I pulled away from the group, smiling ear to ear even with my watery gaze. They had been my people. My everything. 

Jennie engulfed me into a hug, our squeals loud and high as we jumped up and down in our excitement. It was scary but we were ready for this new chapter, side by side. She was my ride or die. 

Except for when she forgot to mention that Chanyeol would be driving us all to Six Flags. 

Jennie told me to be ready to be picked up by 9 am. Sitting outside on the steps of my porch was the easiest. No awkward introductions to my parents about my new 'friends', even if Jennie and Kai were going to be the only ones I saw after this day. 

The heart shaped sunglasses perched on the bridge of my nose shielded my eyes from the sun. The June California sun was already strong, heating my skin the second it peaked over the line of trees in my yard. Naturally, the day picked was going to be the hottest one so far. High waisted jean shorts and a cropped maroon tank top might have been too much clothing, I could already imagine the fabric sticking to my skin with sweat by the end of the day. 

I heard his car before it even came into view. A low thump of music and hum of the Land Rover echoed against the quiet suburb streets. When it rounded the corner, Jennie was the first thing I saw, leaning out of the rolled down windows. She had a huge smile of her face, gummy and bright. Chanyeol pulled to a stop at the opening of the walkway with two short honks. 

"Rosie! Hurry your beautiful, blonde ass up!" Jennie yelled over the music just as I stood from the steps. 

A fluttering nervousness grew in my stomach as all eyes were on me, even Baekhyun's and Sehun's who had been forced to sit in the back of the car. Baekhyun's messy light brown mop was darting over the heads of Lisa and Jennie in backseats, waving enthusiastically when I got closer. I went to school with them everyday but I didn't know them. Suddenly it felt like I was the new kid. I wasn't shy but this group was making me feel like I was. My chest rose in a quick breath before I slipped into the back seat. 

Jennie squealed, attacking me with a hug. "You didn't bail!" The car cheered, making me laugh and cover my face. They were so much. 

"Okay, okay. This is Lisa," My best friend started cheerfully, pointing to the exotic black haired babe with bangs next to her. "Then we have Baekhyun and Sehun back there." 

"Rosie, I can't believe you have been holding out on us for so long." Baekhyun agonized, setting his chin on the back of the seat like a sad puppy. Sehun pulled at the boy's collar

"Down boy." Sehun chuckled, giving me a soft grin as a hello. 

"Then there is Kai, obvi." Jennie sent a sweet kiss to her boyfriend in the passenger seat. "and last and definitely most least, Chanyeol." 

"Jennie, I'm hurt." I always forgot how deep his voice actually was. Chanyeol turned in his seat, a smile growing across his face as his eyes swept passed me to Jennie. 

"Well, that's what you get for saying Doja Cat was overrated." She sassed. 

"Tasteless, I see." The words came out before I could think, but no one was phased by my retort. Lisa snorted a laugh as she slapped at Chanyeol's backseat as if to say 'we told you so'. 

"See, this is why we are best friends Boo." Jennie smirked. 

Chanyeol scoffed, turning off his car. "You all can walk your asses to Six Flags for all I care." 

A chorus of no's and boo's mixed into chants for the amusement park, growing louder with second. Baekhyun became the loudest from the back. Chanyeol held a large hand to his ear, asking for more noise and shouting. I would have figured his ears were always big enough for that, in a weird adorable way. 

"Nah, I'm just kidding." He joked, turning his car back on. "I just wanted to hear you all beg." 

"Ugh, men." Lisa quipped over the cheers of the boys. 

"Right?" I quipped, chuckling when she rolled her eyes. 

Sehun poked his head next to her, "Excuse me?" 

"You included." Lisa added. Jennie was right about the interesting dynamic between the two, but something inside couldn't help but root for them.

"Hey, now. Enough of the gender slander. You know you gals love us." Chanyeol refereed. His playful attention landed on me, "Well, maybe not you. But it's only a matter of time, by the end of the day you will be equally in love with us all." 

"Jennie, you didn't tell me you were part of a Swingers Club?" I teased back, indirectly talking to her while still keeping his attention. He smiled widely at my reply. 

"Rosie might be into something, that sounds like fun." Baekhyun pondered, earning a slap on the top of his head by Lisa. 

"You're disgusting." She laughed. 

Kai flipped around, "Can we get the show on the road? We have been sitting in front of Rosie's house for like a good five minutes. 

"Six Flags, Six Flags, Six Flags!" Chanyeol chanted, the whole car joining him as the SUV took off down the road.

"Rosie," My stomach flipped hearing my own name in his deep tone for the very first time. "You're the newbie, pick an artist for me to play a song from." The whole car turned to me with waiting eyes. 

"Is this a test?"

"Yes." All six of them said in unison. 

Jennie squinted in warning, "Don't disappoint me."

"Um," My sight went from person to person as I wet my lips and pulled at my bottom lip, my eyes landing on the driver with his phone in hand. "Dominic Fike?"

Chanyeol smiled immediately, nodding at my choice which he seemed pleased with. 3 Night by Dominic Fike blasted through the speakers, setting the perfect vibe in the car. The universe was making it impossible not like like these guys, especially making Chanyeol pick my favorite song from the artist. The plucks of the guitar and the artists voice calmed my random burst of nerves. 

The breeze from the open windows played with strands of my hair, making it a wild mess. Smiling at the group softly singing along to the song, I pulled the hair band from my wrist and braided my hair, just for the drive. Even though I was sure Baekhyun wouldn't mind if my hair was all up in his business, being the oddest of the bunch. My hand draped over and out the window when I finished, playing with the air in my hands as I danced my head to the next beats. 

"I can't fix each and all your problems  
I'm no good with names and faces"

My lips stopped, not expecting only one other voice—a deep one— to rap the words along with me. Every word. It was my favorite verse. I looked to the goofy lipped boy driving, his eyes moving from the road and glancing in the rear view mirror back to me. Chanyeol smiled and bit his top lip momentarily, continuing the rap on his own. He cocked a brow, silently asking me if he was tasteless now. 

"She sent me naked pictures  
From her neck down to the waist  
I get my feelings involved  
She stopped returnin' my calls  
Flaws turned into walls and barricades"

A laugh bubbled in my chest, the rest of the car shouting the next lines along with him and I, the easiest for them to remember out of this verse I guessed 

"And I'm too fucked on and over both ways  
And now every long day is a bad one"

He really knew every word, making me wonder if it was a favorite of his too. Even when the syllables sped up to a rhythm my mouth couldn't keep up with, he continued on. Bobbing his head and gesturing with one hand off the steering wheel. Chanyeol didn't seem like the type to listen to the same stuff I did. I half expected him to be some Drake fanatic based off of his behavior at school. 

"...I'm up too late  
Thinkin' bout you  
In MIA for" 

Lisa started clapping along to the beat, swaying along as the chorus kicked in. Her hands gripped at my wrist making me join so she wasn't alone. They were all so welcoming, making some guilt pit into my stomach. Jennie had been right, they were cool. 

He was cool.

————

The lines looked grueling, summer starting in full swing. 

Tickets for us had been purchased prior in the week at the school for a discounted price, Six Flags was already expensive enough. Sweat was forming already, so much different than the cool breeze through the windows of Chanyeol's car. Chill beat's of Dominic Fike and the soothing sounds of driving were now replaced with chattering families and distant screams. Some of me wished to just do that all day, car rides and music. 

Even with pre-bought tickets, we still had to wait in the entrance line. The group chatted among themselves, a new awkwardness now settling in without the filler of music. I didn't know what to really say, or talk about. Jennie talked with Lisa about a dance youtuber who had just posted a sexy video, the word legs came up a lot. My ears listened absentmindedly as I glanced around at the crowd around us. 

Most of our graduating class was present, even split into their cliques like it was in the hallways. I couldn't spot any of the volleyball girl's. A group of them had mentioned going but since I agreed to come with Jennie and her friends, she refused to let me bail. Jennie must have mentioned the possibility of that happening because of what Baekhyun had cheered when I got into the car earlier. 

A sigh left my lips, tipping on the side of my feet to look at the front of the entrance line. This was only the start of a very long day. 

"Never been to an amusement park?" Chanyeol was watching me with a growing smile, "Better get used to the lines now."

Chanyeol had on light jean shorts, cut off just above his knees and contrasting with the dark gray tank top. Both colors made the color of his skin more golden, the type of tone that darkened to a gorgeous color just by standing in the sun for under 30 minutes. For as tall as he was, most high school boys were lanky. But not him. I never noticed his proportions, the definition of his biceps and built frame, though it wasn't over the top. He wasn't some meat head. The same hat that he had worn at the light a little over a week ago was folded in his back pocket, not covering his thick head of hair. It looked like he hadn't even touched it after the shower, short and messy. 

Had he always been this... attractive? 

"I have, it's just been a while."

His eyes squinted, "How long ago?"

"Like, 14 years." My lips pursed, he had caught me. "Never been a fan." 

His eyes widened in round circles, "Are you kidding? Amusement parks are my shit. My family goes multiple times a year." 

My shoulders shrugged, "I guess I just don't get the hype. Long lines, it's hot and sticky, all the food is overpriced." 

"Do you not like fun?"

"Of course I like fun." The line took a large leap forward, putting their group closer to the entrance. 

Chanyeol cocked his thick brow, "Oh yeah? What do you do for fun, then?"

"Volleyball, and finding new music..." My words trailed off, what did I do that was actually fun?

"School sports don't count." He chuckled, "What else?"

"You are making it seem like I'm boring or something. And I strongly believe Volleyball counts, I really enjoy it." I prided as we approached the gate, being the first of the group to hand the worker my ticket. A big, read flag being stamped onto my hand. 

"Seems like it. You can't wipe that smile from your face when you play. Also, I wouldn't use the word boring to decide you." He replied as he inspected his own stamp. Chanyeol placed his hand next to mine to compare, almost being twice the size. "Your stamp is better."" 

The space between us was almost nonexistent when I glanced up, the curve of his arm brushed against mine as he leaned into my side. It wasn't new knowledge that he came to our volleyball games, but it was new knowledge to me that he had actually watched me play enough to know I did smile on the court. My parents always made fun of me for it. 

"Where to first, chicks and dicks?" Baekhyun interrupted with an unfolded map in hand.

Chanyeol pointed to the cartoon styled map, "Obviously Goliath first. Tradition." 

"Which one is that again?" Lisa squinted around them, looking at the multiple different rides that peak at the tops of the trees. 

"That one."

The bright blue and orange metal towered above, just down the path from where we stood. Spoken 'sure's and 'sounds good's agreed, but where they looked at the same ride as I was? That was how they were going to start off the day, a ride with a name like that? The drop looked like it would take your stomach right from its place and into your throat. Surely, there were less... intense rides to start out with, but none of them seemed to care as I glanced at all of them with wide eyes. Jongin took Jennie by the hand. Sehun draped his arm over Lisa. Baekhyun and Chanyeol began to walk with them, just behind. 

"Actually, I think I'm going to go get all of us water." I called with my feet rooted in place, all six of their heads turned around. "I'll just meet you guys after?" It was a good excuse. My sneakers scuffed against the pavement as I turned on my heel. 

"Oh no, no, no." Heavy thumps caught up, Chanyeol stepping right in front of my path. "You are not going to sit this one out. We don't need water yet. Who are you? Adam Sandler?" A Water Boy reference, what a comedian. 

My eyes rolled, "What if I'm absolutely parched?"

"You'll be fine... until after Goliath. I need a seat partner, anyways." He spun me around at my shoulders. 

"And you have Baekhyun for that." I added, slithering away from his grasp. Looking toward the group, mostly to Jennie, I waved them on. "I swear, I'm just getting water and then I'll be back. Go!" The rest shrugged, not caring much as Chanyeol did. It was just the first ride but he was acting like it was the end of the world. The boy threw up his hands, looking between the group and me as I began walking away. A slight sigh of annoyance blew from my nose when his steps were getting closer to me, not further like they should have been.

"Chanyeol, It's fine." A laugh of disbelief fought its way from my chest, he didn't give up. My eyes peered up at him through the tops of my glasses, "Go, you are going to miss out on the ride."

"So are you. But mine isn't by choice." 

"You are ridiculous. You are choosing to come with me!" It took me a moment to realize I was laughing, my hands pushed lightly against his arm to move him into the direction of the rollercoaster. He was even more stubborn than I was, which was saying a lot. 

"Oh come on, Rosie. It's the last day of our high school lives." Chanyeol announced, swinging his arms wide at their surroundings. "And you're going to sit out on most of the fun because you're scared?"

"I am not scared!" I exclaimed, my voice raising slightly in pitch. "Rollercoasters just aren't my thing. Especially right in the morning." 

"You are scared." 

"And you're impossible." I retorted, running a hand though the blonde strands of my hair as my gaze glanced around us. Fellow classmate's eyes were watching, probably confused by the odd, new pairing on the last day of the year. Chanyeol was being to persistent for us not even being friends. 

Chanyeol stared straight into my eyes as he placed his hands into a line against his lips. "Do you trust me?"

"What?" I blinked. 

"Do you trust me?" He repeated, his eyebrows and head moving with each of his syllables. 

"I hardly know you." 

"Give me half the day and I'll make you love amusement parks, especially rollercoasters."

My arms folded across my chest, arching a brow. He was so sure of himself. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

"Have you ever just gone along with, whatever?" He smiled. 

"With whatever?" I scoffed, "That sounds promising." 

"Trust me." Chanyeol beamed as he stood taller, almost pridefully. The dimple in his cheek was hopelessly reeling me in. "If I do this right, it will be best last day of your high school experience." 

My lips pursed in contemplation, "Are you going to keep on trying to desperately flirt with me?"

"Desperately?" He agonized, brining both hands to his heart dramatically. "Ouch. I feel like my attempts were at least decent."

"And what about the others? Jennie whole reason for wanting me to come was--" 

Chanyeol snorted, "Fuck the others. We both know Jennie and Kai will be borderline having sex in the lines. While Baekhyun, Lisa and Sehun all bicker about Sword Art Online and the reason for its tragic downfall which will ultimately end with them all in agreeance."

"This sounds like it's coming from experience." It was an awfully detailed scene. Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders, turning his lips into a smug frown. 

"Yeah, it is. Honestly, it's been getting kind of boring." He played along, "Up until recently, that is."

Laughing, a tsk clicked from my teeth. "Such a flirt." 

Chanyeol smiled widely, not even denying my statement. He pulled the black hat from his pocket, stepping just a little bit closer. "They aren't going to miss us, promise." My heart fluttered as he placed the hat onto my head, shielding my eyes from the sun above us. "So? What do you say? Do I need to sing that song from Mamma Mia?" 

"You mean the ABBA song. Also, what is up with you and movie references?" 

"Changing the subject? Fine." He took a deep breath, my eyes widened with his very loud next words. Or rather notes. "If you change your mind--" 

My hand flew to cup over his mouth, stopping him and myself from further embarrassment. "Oh my god! Okay!" 

His eyes lit up, sparklingly in an instant, "Okay?" 

"Half a day, that's it. Then we go back with the rest of the group." He had won, my sigh of defeat took the last of my defenses away. Chanyeol smiled, pointing right at me as he walked backwards.

"You won't regret it."

—————

"This is discrimination. I can't help being tall!"

A children's ride. Chanyeol's grand plan to get me to like amusement parks was to start at the children's rides. Rides that he wasn't even allowed to ride on due to his size. His brows were turned in disappointment while he argued with the operator who looks as if he would rather be anywhere else but here. Eyes of parents watched us as Chanyeol continued with his rights speech. I cover my face with both hands, I should have expected this based off of his reputation in class. 

"What if I like the small rides? What if I have a fear of the rollercoasters but still want to have fun? Have you thought about that?"

"Chanyeol..." I groan, pulling on the shoulder of his muscle tee. 

"Sir," The operator sighed, keeping his face completely emotionless. "We have plenty of other rides, made for adults." 

Chanyeol had been adamant that this is where we should start. All the small rides and eventually end at Goliath. He compared it to learning how to ride a bike with training wheels which made no sense, the ananology wasn't even remotely similar. But I didn't argue with him. Arguing didn't seem to work when it came to him and his ideas. 

He opened his mouth to spout more bullshit right as my hand gripped his elbow, pulling him away with all my might. He was much larger than I was. "Your time in ticking, and I'm starting to regret agreeing to this. When you said small, I didn't think you actually meant the rides meant for 5 year olds." 

Placing his hands on his hips, Chanyeol completely ignored my comment, surveying around us. My guess was to come up with a new plan when there really shouldn't have been one anyways. It was Six Flags, not an FBI raid. His eyes squinted at the sun, reminding me that his hat was still on my head. I hadn't removed it, completely forgetting about it. 

Raising onto the tip of my toes to reach, I slide it over his hair. His ears peaked out, becoming all the more prominent than they already were. He looked so concerned about his failing method to change my mind, not even fighting as I gave him back his hat. 

He nodded once, firmly. "Okay, new plan." 

"Oh yeah?" I smiled, not fighting this one. Chanyeol was so determined. 

But, undeniably cute. In a weird way. 

He was surprising me. Even if he was completely relentless when it came to what he wanted, or how many jokes of his failed. Chanyeol was a ball of energy, it was infectious. I had only experienced some of it in class, but this was so much different. I swallowed my butterflies as his hand took my own, taking me to his new plan. It completely enveloped mine, a gentle pull despite his strong determination. Move or not, my teeth ran over my bottom lip shyly, and I wasn't shy. 

The sound of roaring water got louder and louder as we got closer. A dark, wooden sign with a yellow Roaring Rapids rounded into our view. My feet plant into the ground, jolting him backwards. "Oh hell no. A water ride?"

"Yup." His lips pop, leaning to grab my other hand to pull. "Let's go."

"Chanyeol! We will be wet all day! I don't know much but I know enough that water rides are supposed to be last." My head shook back and forth as I fought against him. 

"We have the sun and all day to dry off." He argued back, laughing at my weak attempts. We were already closer to the start of the line than before I refused. I lowered my body to sit on the ground, trying to make it harder for him but he beat me to it, flinging my body over his shoulder effortlessly. My skin tingled at the contact as his hand touched the back of my thigh, keeping me in place. "Nice try." 

"Forcing me onto rides was your plan?" I whined, trying to squirm from his hold but it was useless. My hair swung back and forth below me, falling over my face when I leaned up enough so I wasn't just draped over his back. The shaded blocked the heat when he got into line, setting me down onto the wood banister, dividing the sea of people. 

Chanyeol caged an arm on each side of me, smiling cheekily. "It's working."

"I didn't agree to this." Thank god my sunglasses were enough to hide some of the embarrassment in my eyes and flush of my cheeks from the watchful eyes around us. 

"No, but you did agree to doing whatever." 

"I didn't think being thrown around like a rag doll fell under that category." I mumbled, looking elsewhere but him. Still right in front of me. I could feel the inside of his forearms brushing against the side of my thighs. 

"It's kind of cute how small you are." His head tipped, trying to catch my eyes. My heart never raced like it was, even with boys I had liked in the past. 

Crossing my arms over my chest and acting indifferent was my first instinct. "I'm not small, you are just too big." 

"Too big, huh?"

"That is not what I meant." I exclaimed, my eyes widened at his words. He laughed, recoiling as I lifted my hand to flip the hat off his head and onto the ground. "God, you are such a boy." 

Chanyeol and his smile didn't seemed phased, grabbing it off the ground. "Others would disagree with that statement." Part of me did as well. Chanyeol knew duality well, his boyish charms playing well with his masculinity. 

I hopped down from the banister, allowing my freedom from his playful stare or tan arms. But the minute I wasn't surrounded by his presence, I wanted it again. Pulling my hair away from my neck, I needed to get rid of the heat. From the air or from Chanyeol? That part wasn't clear. The line inched forward, little by little, but my thoughts were jumping by feet. The realization that I actually liked his attention, and his cheesy efforts of flirting crept into my mind with each step. He was cute, more than cute. And stupidly funny, my heart and laughs couldn't deny that. 

"Let's play 20 questions." His voice came from over my shoulder. Chanyeol leaned his head close to the side of mine, hovering at a safe distance that still had a way of affecting me. "You mentioned barely knowing each other, let's change that since we have the time."

I bit at the inside of my cheek, slowly turning around and leaned against the wood as the line came to another long stop. Chanyeol leaned against the other side and propped a leg up. "I'll go first," He continued, not letting me say no. "Favorite junk food?'

"Fries, 100%." 

"A woman of taste." He smiled, wrinkles at the corners of his eyes appearing. It wasn't helping my 'try not to find him cute' agenda. 

"Well," My brow arched. "Did you expect any less?"

"From you? Rosie Park? Not at all." He talked as if he knew more about me than I knew about him. 

"My turn?" Changing the subject would be the best for the warmth I felt creeping onto my cheeks. Chanyeol nodded, flipping his hat backwards. Everything about him was impossible not to find cute, my efforts beginning to fail just like his first plan. "Worst decision you have ever made?" 

He licked at his lips, looking thoughtfully into the air as he hummed. "Agreeing to any dare Kai has given me." The features of his face curled in disgust or pain, I couldn't tell but the expression make me giggle. "My stupid ass thought I could handle eating a whole ball of wasbi, too prideful to deny a dare. I've never been in so much pain. 

"Kind of deserved if you ask me." I joked, watching his lips curl into a grin. 

His eyes danced with mine, almost teasingly so. The line jumped forward, breaking the contact. I cleared my throat quietly, mentally telling myself not to go down this road. But at this point, would fighting it even be successful? Chanyeol had already gotten to agree to spending half the day with him, and something told me that no matter how hard I tried, his tan skin, dimple, bright eyes and lame jokes would win in the end. 

Chanyeol bit at his lip, letting out a breath that sounds more like a small laugh. His feet scruffed against the ground before he lifted his eyes back to mine, "You have a pretty smile, you know." 

It didn't take much to realize just how quick I was giving in. Not even the first ride, and he had already changed my mind. But not with what he originally intended. 

Taking a quick breath, letting the rest of my restraint go, I pushed off the banister slowly. If this was going to be the best last day, then that's what it was going to be. Maybe it was the thrill of the idea, running around and experiencing him, that suddenly flipped everything around. 

Or maybe it was how it felt to lean my chin against his chest, looking up at him. He didn't move, flinch, or look surprised. Chanyeol stayed in his position, leaned against his own railing, looking down with eyes like galaxies as I slipped my arms between his and his torso, bracing my hands on the wood behind him. 

"That attempt wasn't as desperate." I whispered in reference to his flirting efforts, my heart thumping against my rib cage. My body fitting against his, almost like it belonged there all these years. His lopsided smile agreed with me. 

Chanyeol Park was cool, and I was losing all of mine. 

————

"I thought you would at least try to protect me!"

A solid stream of water showered to the ground as I twisted my hair. Everything was completely soaked from head to toe. The ride hadn't even looked that bad as we approached closer and closer in the line. My excitement level actually started to climb the closer we go to the roaring sounds of water, partly because of the ride and partly because of my newly accepted company. 

Chanyeol didn't wipe the smile off his face after my sudden change of mind and demeanor toward him. It was like it had been all he needed before acting how he truly wanted to. His hands played with stands of my hair or pulled me closer at my waist when he thought I had strayed too far away from him in line. They were only flirtatious touches, but enough for the tension to build. Not the silly and awkward tension that came from a first date. It was the tension that made you want to make out in front of everyone because you are too caught up in each other to care. 

The chemistry was more than there, Chanyeol was insanely cute and we had the whole day. Carpe Diem thinking and such. It was clear he had no plan at all, possibly even just a ploy to spend the day at my side. In that case, it worked.

But there hadn't even been a kiss. Yet.

The thought had crossed into my head multiple times while in line. Chanyeol was a confident guy, it was all in his little touches and boyish glances but the ball was falling into my court. Right into my hands. His lips looked so soft, my eyes dropping to view them when I could without getting caught. It was the classic story of 'he was there the whole time' thinking. This crush became more plausible by the second. 

The switch-like mindset change wasn't a normality in my life, I liked routine. It was comfortable. Yet, the dimple and sparkle in his eyes made it feel less scary, going against routine or living this day like our last. He had just been a guy in my graduating class, the guy with the ears in chemistry, the guy who flirted with me at the stoplight. But now he was Chanyeol, the guy who was making my heart flutter with each momentary glance and his 'whatever' plan. Everything already felt so different. Change didn't seem like it would be the worst thing to happen. 

But like a rush of reality, I remembered exactly what this day was and that summer would be come and go. It was growing like a pit in my stomach when I looked up at him.

"What do you think I am? A water bender?" He fried back, laughing and grinning.

"You didn't even try!" 

Chanyeol spread out his arms, looking at them. "I did try! I thought my arms would be big enough!"

His dark gray tank, now almost black, clung to his torso, the curves and lines of his abs were just barely visible. Enough to make thoughts wander. My mouth had already opened to rebuttal his poor excuse, nothing but a squeak came out. Chanyeol shook his hair before pushing it back in his hands and slid his semi dry hat backwards and into place. 

His hand took mine, "No time for arguing, Honey. We have a mission to complete."

"What will you be forcing me to do now?" I eyed him suspiciously, letting him pull me to wherever his mind was wanting. From this view, a couple of light moles on his cheek winked against his skin. 

"More like what will I be forcing you to eat." He tipped his head in correction. 

"We have been on one ride, and we are already stopping for lunch? Your plan seems a bit flawed." 

"Rosie, Rosie, Rosie." Chanyeol tsked, "You have so much to learn. Half of the experience is the food. Tell me, how often are you able to get ice cream molded by liquid nitrogen into tiny, little balls or..." His deep voice lifted, trailing off as we approached a small stand. 

Foot-long Corn Dogs

"...Corn dogs as big as your face." 

Before I could protest, his wallet was out and two over-large corn dogs had been purchased. Chanyeol was personable, easily making conversation with the concession worker. Seeing him in passing in the hallways felt like forever ago as I viewed who Chanyeol really was. He balanced the fried food one hand, drizzling ketchup and mustard over the top in thin lines. 

My stomach growled at the sight when I peered around his arm. "I mean, they do look good.."

"Food, a way to your heart. Noted." Chanyeol turned and smiled, beaming brightly.

"My heart? I thought your plan was to get me to like all of this?" I gestured to our surroundings, meeting back at him with an teasingly arched brow. 

"I'm included in this 'all of this' package." He winked as he set the corndogs down on a table, purposely placing us in the sun to try off. My glasses hadn't been in place to hide my blush this time, his eyes instantly taking notice. 

Hopefully my words came out more even than they felt, "I don't remember that point being disclosed." 

Chanyeol watched me intently as we sat down, clearly excited for my reaction. My fingers played with the flimsy paper container, bunching my sight from him to the yellow, red and fried food. This whole thing seemed more fun to him than the amusement park itself. His eyebrows were raised and eyes wide, little winkles in his forehead with the slightest, unintentional pout. 

"Chanyeol, it's an overpriced hotdog." 

"Go on." He waved his hand impatiently. 

Unfortunately, just like everything else so far. He was right. The surprising sweet and salt breading was fried to perfection, opening up to a not so normal hot dog in the middle. Not like the gross, cheap ones from the grocery store. The ketchup and mustard added just the right amount of tangy. I couldn't help but fist my hand and shake it with small excitement while chewing.

"Fine. Chanyeol: 1." I awarded quickly before taking another bite. He seemed pleased with my verdict, bathing in his little victory before eating his own. Not without a sung 'I told you so'. 

He swallowed his bite as he examined his corn dog for the next best. For once his eyes were watching something else other than me. "Favorite guilty pleasure?"

"We are back to 20 questions?" The game has been forgotten by the both of us after my chin had rested on his chest back in line. 

"I want to know you. And not Rosie Park, Volleyball MVP or Jennie's best friend." Chanyeol explained. 

My shoulders shrugged, the heat already drying my hair and clothes. "I don't know why you think I'm something exciting. I'm very ordinary." 

"Bullshit." He chuckled, "You are the most mysterious girl at our school. Quiet in class, but popular enough to capture attention in the hallways." 

"So, you are questioning my middle of the totem pole social status?" I teased. 

Chanyeol scoffed, "No I don't give two shits about social status. I want to know what Rosie picks to watch on Netflix when you stay home on Friday nights because I know you don't go to parties, and never come to the things Jennie invites you to." 

"K-dramas." I bit the inside of my cheek, "That's what I pick, and it's also my guilty pleasure." 

"What's so guilty about that?" 

My face curled into a wince, "They are cheesy and cliche. You know, romantic." 

"Do you cry?" His eyes squinted playful, 

"Like a baby, almost every time." 

"Rosie Park, a secret hopeless romantic. What is your favorite one?" 

I shook my head, trying not to become bashful. "You wouldn't know it." 

"So? I'll watch it so that I do know it." He smiled genuinely. 

"It's called While You Were Sleeping, and no it's not based off of the American movie." A common question I always got when I mentioned the title. "It's basically like a dream inception crime romance show."

"Now that sounds like something I would also cry in." Chanyeol joked.

"Oh shut up, I don't need you making fun of my emotions." I rolled my eyes, throwing a small piece of corn bread at home. "It's a phenomenal show." 

He held up his hands in defeat, smiling widely. "Alright, alright. Then will you watch it with me if I ask?"

"Do I get to record you if you cry?" My lips twitched into a smirk, the idea becoming more entertaining by second.

"If it means getting to wipe your tears away when you do, then yes." 

A squeal pulled from my chest as my hands flew to cover my face, both heating and cringing at his comment. I couldn't help it. It was too cute, and too much all at the same time. Exactly like him and the feelings he was giving me. 

Chanyeol's warm laugh made me peak through my fingers, that same triumphant grin in my view. "I got you there, yeah?" 

"That was so cheesy." I giggled, he had no clue that he had gotten her many times before now. "But yes. Somehow that worked." 

"I'm not even my full half day timer in and I would already call my plan a screaming success." He boasted, sitting up just a tad more board. 

"A screaming success?" His suggestive use of term didn't go unnoticed. A bit of ketchup and mustard mix landed onto my wrist, making me curse under my breath. My finger was quick to be used as a napkin before bringing it to my lips, taking a small bite of the corn dog to follow. 

"You know," He started as he cleared his throat, looking down to his own food. The smallest of blush tinted onto his cheeks for the first time. "I never thought anyone could make eating a corn dog sexy, but look at you go." 

"You cannot be serious." My voice dropped a little lower, lifting up the messy, half eaten fried food on a stick.

"First of all, the shape." Chanyeol explained, I rolled my eyes even if I was laughing. More so at how ridiculous his comment was. "Second, the finger licking or sucking thing you just did?" His cheeks puffed up with a breath of air. "Dangerous to my health." 

"You mean to tell me that this is sexy?" I took a large bite, jokingly making it more of a show with an added moan. The noise sounded more like a laugh. 

His hand took the stick from my hand in a second, "Yeah, you are done." 

"Hey!" 

"See, you just licked your lip. You aren't allowed to eat in front of me anymore." Chanyeol sternly pointed his own towards me as a scold. 

My bottom lip pouted as I leaned across the table, grasping at air. "That's not fair. Let me finish it at least." His hands were quicker than mine, pulling the corn dog away at just the right moment. 

"Maybe if you wear a nun outfit and not a wet tank top that shows your killer collarbones."  
I dropped my hands to the table with a slap. "Okay, yeah that wouldn't work either. I'd probably be into that just as much."

"You are unbelievable."

"I think you are kind of into it though."

"Give me my corn dog!" 

————

360 degree loop. 

Blue and red cars with joyful screams following with each one. It wasn't as large as the one that the group had wanted to start with, but enough for my eyes to widen. The white track disappeared into the trees, hiding its true size. 

"Since you were so daring with Roaring Rapids and trying the corn dog, I think you are ready."

"Ready for...?" I questioned, hoping Chanyeol wasn't going to mention the ride in front of us. That there was a different, less intense ride within the same area. My eyes scanned, finding nothing. 

A smile crept over his face, looking at the white mini giant before us. "The New Revolution."

"A rollercoaster? Already?" I gaped. Maybe there was a small fear. A tiny one. "This is our second ride." 

"Yup, we are going to rip it off like those god awful waxing strips you girls use." His hand gave a gentle squeeze, "It's a smaller one. Don't worry." 

Just as we hit the entrance gate, my limps stopped moving. "Chanyeol, I don't know." 

My hair rushed around my shoulders as the ride sped over the top of us. I hadn't actually ever been on a rollercoaster, only having gone to amusement parks as a small kid. He looked back, his expression gearing up for a joke but then his eyes softened the moment they met mine. I swallowed, looking up. A raft ride was one thing, but this was completely unknown. A dry laugh almost tickled my chest when I thought about how ironic it all was. Chanyeol had been unknown, Jennie's group of friends had been unknown. My life in 3 months was going to be a whole different type of unknown. It was poetic. 

"Hey," His voice pulled my sight from above. Chanyeol gave a small, crooked grin as his hand lightly touched the side of my head. "I'm not going to force you, but I'll be there. We can sit in the middle. If you hate it, I'll drop my plan and you don't have to go on any more coasters. I promise." 

He had been surprising me from the start. Always seeming like the boy who tried to get out of assignments with his jokes or flirted with girls in the hallways just for reactions. Except, he wasn't any of those things. Just mere hours into getting to know who Chanyeol was, and he had changed my mind about everything. He was gentle and kind, rambunctious and witty. All painted with a handsome, goofy smile and shining eyes. 

"Okay." I breathed.

His brows lifted, softly and slowly pulling me deeper into the line. I didn't fight it. "Okay?" 

All I could muster was a nod as my anxiety jumped with each step we took, the sounds of the mechanics of the ride booming off of the structure that shaded the line. Chanyeol looped behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and bringing his head close to my ear. 

"Thank you for trusting me." 

The feeling of his lips against my ear sent shivers over my skin, contrasting with the warmth of the sun. "Don't make me regret this." 

"You haven't yet." He countered as we waddled forward, his arms and biceps still securely around me. 

"These are safe, right?" It was a dumb question but I asked it anyways. His voice was soothing and I wanted to hear more of it lowered in my ear. 

"They have a whole set of rules and guidelines and qualifications before they are even opened to the public. The park closes them down during the day for safety checks, as well." 

My heart rate calmed with each word he said. "And you've been on this one before?"

He chuckled, sending the vibrations from his chest into my small frame. "More times than I can count."

"Keep talking." 

I could feel his smile, the twitch of his cheek and jaw against the side of my head. Chanyeol told the history, that it was originally built in 1976 but had been revamped for its 40th anniversary. It was the first ever roller coaster to have a vertical, 360 loop in the world. A classic of classics, he said. Each step came with a new bit of information, he knew a lot about the ride and even the park itself. Even the mechanics he had some knowledge in, explaining what he could about the sounds we were hearing. Every click and rush of air. 

"How do you know all this?" I turned my head, leaning away just a tad to view him clearly. 

"This is what I do on Friday nights when I can't find something to pick on Netflix." He teased, bringing our earlier conversation back. "I get curious and dive into a deep, nerdy black hole of YouTube videos and Wikipedia pages. You could call it my guilty pleasure." 

With a small rush of air and just a couple more steps, our bodies were corralled into a separated gate as the coaster train came to a stop before us. We were next. Chanyeol stood behind me, bringing his hands to run along my shoulders and down to my hands. It was sweet how his goofy demeanor changed into a more calm and supportive state. Showing a whole other serious side of him that I hadn't even gotten a glimpse of before. 

Theatrical music and the monotone voice of the operator spouting cautions and orders mixed with the huffs of the hydrologics. The small gates jolted, opening us up to the train and it's now empty seats. He squeezed around from behind, making the first move in but not without the gentle hold on my hand. Chanyeol stepped into the landing of the seats and turned towards me. 

"Deep breath, beautiful. You got this." He encouraged, giving me all I needed to step in myself. 

The bars closed over the top of us, an employee walking down the rows of seats and pulling just slightly, making sure they were completely locked. My hands felt shaky, my feet turned inward, my heart was back to pounding loudly in my ears. 

It was just a ride but it wasn't. 

The anticipation was terrifying, just like everything else was. Going off to college and being away from home. Leaving the comfort and easiness of high school. I thought I was done with it all, completely ready for the next step but being locked in a seat next to a human I suddenly wished to know sooner was scarier than anything else. I had been so sure that I was ready to say goodbye. The rollercoaster was just the vessel, a way of making me realize that I simply wasn't. His hand found its way to the skin of my knee, warm and even slightly sweaty as he gave it a squeeze. 

"I'm fine." I assured him before he could ask, my voice was smaller than the clacks as the train car began to move. 

"I know you are." I could hear the grin in his voice. The view of him was cut off the shoulder bars, but he tried anyways, poking his dark head as far as he could. "Keep your eyes open. Don't hold your breath, scream. Don't hold it in, Rosie." 

Let it all out. 

We climbed to the top before I had a chance to blink, everything else becoming a blur of green trees and white track. My ears heard nothing but the wind and his hollers. His laugh. A scream of my own fought its way out and latched with his with every quick curve. My head gravitated against the headrest when the ride took us on the very first 360 loop ever built, looping my stomach with it and making a giggle sing into the air, a squeal right after. 

And then it was over. Like it hadn't been the cause of my racing mind just minutes before. Like it was nothing to be afraid of from the beginning. 

Chanyeol jumped up from his seat immediately when the bars unhooked, flying back behind us. The biggest smile shined back at me, his face flush with bits of his dark hair pointing wherever the wind had wanted it to go. I laughed as he pulled me from my seat, my cheeks hurt from my own smile. Bodies moved around us to leave. 

"Oh my god?" The adrenaline was still rushing through my veins. My hands flew into my hair, "Oh my god! That was so much fun!"

Chanyeol laughed, his eyes wrinkling and his dimple the deepest I had seen it. "See, I told you! How do you feel?"

My lips parted, eyes feeling like the happiest crescent moons before they widened as I tried to find my words that wanted to burst from my chest. "So... so— Weightless? And carefree and alive and so less scared and why didn't you take me on this sooner?"

"I tried!" He laughed even harder, looking just as happy as I felt. Chanyeol's eyes danced over me, watching my gesturing hands that still couldn't calm down from the excitement. 

"I—" My voice started to speak, trailing off into a burst of giggles. 

He hadn't been wrong about one thing. Not one single thing. What else did he have in that chaotic mind of his that could change everything else in my world? Just his simple expression had enough leverage to make me willingly give him, a hallways stranger, my trust. My feelings wanting to follow its lead. Chanyeol stood tall and bright before me, with a smile that I could see myself never getting sick of. In any context. I wanted it to show me more. 

Chanyeol was so cool. And I had been so stubborn, for what? No change in a world that changed every day? He asked me to go with whatever not realizing that he had given me more than that. 

My hands clasped his neck, fingers weaving into the soft hair at the back of his head and my lips found his. They tasted like summer and every bit of courage he held that I never had. They were soft like his touch but wild like his words. His hands wrapped at my waist, pulling me the closest I could be, right flush against his own body. His tongue played along the bottom line of my lip, deepening our contact the moment I allowed it. Wrapping my arms around his neck, Chanyeol lifted my body just enough off the ground to move us from the traffic of watchers, never breaking the kiss. I pulled away an inch, pecking his lips once more and smiled as his eyes fluttered open. 

My starry-eyed boy. 

"I want to go again."

————

Look who I won over." 

His lips were on mine before I could even respond to the gasps and wide eyes of our shared friends. Chanyeol lifted me off my feet, walking like a giant with me in his arms to the rest of the group, the kiss never breaking. I couldn't complain. Just like him, I couldn't resist. We had gone on that white roller coaster more times that I could count on one hand, but the amount of kisses? More than two hands. 

He took me on ever ride along the way, finally meeting up with the group again. It had been much more than half the day, making me pout internally. I could spend all day with just him, too prideful to say it aloud. Sehun had called Chanyeol, complaining that Baekhyun and Lisa were driving him up the wall. Ultimately bringing us all back together. I had no exceptions to how he would act once around everyone again, but I hadn't expected him to be so forward. I should have know with how touchy he had already been. Chanyeol didn't care if his friends were watching. 

Kisses were additive, but his were lethal in the best way. Exactly like the rest of him. His energy and that smile, his hands with the combined gaze. He kissed like generations of men, yet with the hunger of a teenage boy. A girl like me had no defenses for such an attack. PDA had never been my thing, ever. But with him, it didn't feel as such. Everyone and everything just merely seemed to not matter. It was the chorus of hollers that was enough to break us apart. Chanyeol gently placed me back onto the ground, the widest grin on his lips 

"Well," Baekhyun sighed, reaching into the back of his pocket and pulling out a $5 bill. "You fucking won, Jennie. But I'm still calling unfair play, you know Rosie the best out of all of us." 

"You guys made a bet?" I cried. Jennie's hand was outstretched with the most smug grin on her perfect face. Each and every one of them placed a $5 bill in her open palm. 

"Bitch, I know you. And I've known Chanyeol for enough time to know he would rope you in somehow. I just let it happen naturally." She explained, counting the bills in her hand. 

Lisa rolled her eyes, "And I think that's cheating." 

"I think," Chanyeol exclaimed loud enough to halt the uproar, wrapping his arms around my shoulders from behind. "That I am the true winner in this situation."

"Gross. That was so cheesy." My nose scrunched into a wince. I held the giggle in my chest when he chuckled under my ear, his breath tickling my skin. 

All eyes were on us, Baekhyun's being the most teasing out of them all but the others looked on with large and small smiles on their faces. I blushed, trying not to take every look too seriously. Except, they looked proud. Like they were watching their little Chanyeol grow up. I reached up and placed my hand on his forearm that rested across my chest, wondering if he could feel just how fast he made my heart race. 

Jennie's eyes flickered to mine, "Anyone up for the swings?"

A classic. You see them in every movie having to do with amusement parks or read about them in those sappy teenage fiction stories, but perhaps I was living in one. At least that's what it felt like when Chanyeol slipped his hand into mine, intertwining his large fingers that almost doubled the size of mine. He swung our arms softly with the steps of our feet, rubbing his thumb over mine. He acted as if this was so normal, so easy. And it was. But for having only shared our first kiss less than an hour ago, he was wildly confident in his actions and words. 

Chanyeol glanced down to me, "What's with the deep in thought face?" He asked as we walked down the pavement. 

"You had a crush on me, didn't you?"

Baehyung hollered a short laugh, "Crush? Please. If that's what you call covering my mouth to shut me up as you walked by, literally everyday, just so he could watch in his lovesick silence." 

My eyes widened, glancing back and forth from Baekhyun to the now blushing 6 foot puppy, his other hand rubbing at the back of his neck. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, "Baekhyun is over-exaggerating. But come on, Rosie. Don't look so surprised. Most guys in our graduating class do." 

The group laughed, shouting short teases as Jennie glanced back at me with a wink. Her pushing for me to hang out with them all made more sense now. "Wait, explain." 

"Explain?" He chuckled, "You're Miss Volleyball, blonde haired, clever but quiet beauty? What is there to explain?"

"No, I mean. Since when?" I questioned, trying to recall any time when him and I could have interacted enough for something like a crush to spark. 

There was this reputation I had unknowingly acquired soon into my high school career, only becoming aware of this year. I didn't date much or attend dances. When I did date, it was casual. A couple double or group dates with the volleyball team where you had to bring a date. There had never been a boy to catch my attention, I wasn't looking and there was really no reason for me to. But I wish I had. Maybe I would have seen his looks in the hallways, maybe my chest would have fluttered like did now, every time he looked at me.

He smiled sheepishly, glancing around the walkway. "I don't know, Rosie... I mean, everyone knows you're a cutie. But as for a crush? The beginning of the year, probably."

"Why didn't you say anything? We never talked much but..." My head shook in slight disbelief, looking up at him.

Jennie turned around once more, "Boo, why do you think he talked so much in your chemistry class? Lover boy was trying to get you to look at him for longer than a second." 

The hold of his hand never loosened, but his normally locked in eye contact or glances were elsewhere. Nervously looking at the sky, down at his feet, wincing when Kai added more details. Like how Chanyeol seemed more excited for Volleyball games as each week went by, or when suddenly Chanyeol had suggested eating outside in the courtyard. The place I happened to each lunch with the girls. 

"Okay, okay. That's enough!" Chanyeol muttered through his teeth, raising both brows, eyes wide in playful warning to his friends. 

He sighed, snickering at their laughs as they all turned back around. The sun was starting to drifted far into the afternoon, giving the path more shade than it had all day. No longer was it so hot that sweat pooped at your neck. The large structure of the swing came into view between the trees, bright and shiny gold with accents of red and lights. We piled into the line, Chanyeol letting go of my hand to lean against the railing but at a close enough distance to keep me close. 

"We need to chat." Jennie smiled sweetly. Her hand gripped at my wrist and pulled me away, making a small girl group of three. I glanced back at Chanyeol, his face scowling in fake anger. 

"Chat about what..?" I hesitated. Lisa's smirk grew the longer she looked from me, to Chanyeol and back. 

"Um, hello! I know I placed a bet in favor of this happening but what is happening?" 

I bit at my thumb nail, "I'm not sure? I just... kissed him and now.. I don't know. I meant we leave for school in a few months, Jen." It was an apprehensive answer but that's how I was feeling. Because I wasn't sure. Chanyeol felt like everything, but at the end of our day, would be we anything? I could already feel him, watching us. Watching me from his spot with the boys. 

"I don't know if he told you," Jennie started, turning her voice into a lower whisper. "But he's attending Stanford." 

Stanford? My head fought to look at him. "Stanford as in one of the top universities in the nation?"

She nodded with a smirk, "He's a smart boy. But that's not my point. My point is that Stanford is only five hours away from UCLA." 

"Jen..."

"No I'm serious, you two as a real thing isn't completely off the table. Think about it." Jennie debated. 

Lisa chuckled, looking over at the boys. "He's been crushing on you hard for a while now. But I think he's willing to take whatever he can get, real deal or not. Except, Jennie has a point. Five hours is more than doable." 

"Guys, come on." I mumbled with dismissal. "You two are thinking more into this than I have. 

Jennie arched a brow, "You mean to tell me you haven't thought about it?"

I had. The entire way back to the group as I listened to him talk about how he had been a rollercoaster fanatic from the age of 7. Chanyeol told stories about him trying to trick the operators to let him on, standing as tall as he could or creating distractions to sneak into the line. He was incredibly wholesome, how could I not think about having this, him, all the time? 

The idea of Chanyeol as a boyfriend, possibly mine, was hard not to think about. It crept in slowly with each time he looked down at me, eyes sparkling like they had been the entire day. The fondness he held within them was becoming more and more apparent. 

"Well..." I chewed at my lip, glancing at him for a moment. Him and Sehun were currently in a slap hand battle. 

"I truly love being right all the time." Jennie boasted, smoothly flipping her hair off of her shoulder. 

"Don't jump the gun. I have no idea what's going to happen, nor am I going to set expectations. He's just..." I breathed, stuttering to find my thoughts. "Chanyeol is cool." 

"You're blushing." Lisa sang. 

The girls poked at me, giggling like we were actually our age for once. Instead of college applications and scholarships— I learned Lisa had gotten into Juilliard— we had a day of feeling actually young. Just recent high school graduates remembering just how young we were, gossiping over boys and stealing glances. Laughing at their stupidity when Sehun and Chanyeol started to get way too into the game, the backs of their hands were bright red now. 

A soft breeze blew through the line every time the ride started, finally the perfect weather. Loud speakers from around played songs from the Top 40 and echoed off the trees. The swings were mesmerizing as I looked up at them, roping in my attention with a light smile on my lips. My body didn't even flinch when large hands gripped at my waist and turned me around from my view. 

"What are you over here smiling about?" 

I turned, his goofy grin was the first thing that drew my eyes. His dimple may had become on of my favorite sights. 

"Let's just say..." I started, curling in the top of my lip. He was going to get his satisfaction, most likely gloat but my fluttering heart didn't care. "Let's just say I've had a good day." 

"Oh really?" He drawled, soaking it in. The grin turned smug within seconds. 

My eyes rolled slowly, as dramatic as possible. "I knew you would respond this way. Yes, you won. I give in." 

"Did you even have a fighting chance? Let's be honest." Chanyeol laughed, trying to pull me into a consuming hug to contain my fake anger but I pulled away teasingly. 

The line tenant opened the gate, our group flooding through before Chanyeol could get a good grasp to keep me in place. Turning my head, I smiled back at him. More so beamed as his eyes grew smaller but his own smile wider, filling with affection that I had never seen any boy give to any girl before. And that girl was me. 

"You coming with me or not?" My steps slowed up the steps to the ride, bodies of our friends pushing by me. 

Chanyeol brought a hand to his mouth, physically wiping the smile from his face. I couldn't help but drift me eyes to the natural flex on his bicep. He climbed the stairs, stopping at the step below me and leaned close, bumping his forehead against mine gently. 

"Anywhere, if it's with you." 

————

Goliath hadn't been nearly as bad as it looked in the beginning of the day. 

The drop had even been the best part, possibly even my favorite ride of them all. Chanyeol explained that sitting the very back was technically faster, since the momentum of the front of the coaster train pulled the back down the drop. It didn't exactly make sense but he seemed so confident in his speech that I nodded and smiled along, agreeing to sit in the back with him. Somehow he was right. I could feel it when we got to the top and the coaster started to dip. It was like we were getting yanked along. 

But it wasn't like he had been wrong about anything that day. Whether it be him talking his bullshit, to actual facts. He was always right. 

"Who are you and what have you done with the Rosie that 'had to go get water' before our first ride?" Chanyeol squinted at me suspiciously while I pulled him by the hand out the ride's exit. 

My shoulder shrugged as I beamed at him in reply. "I don't know, I guess I'm a pro now. Are you proud?"

"Very." He expressed, moving our clasped hands to an intertwine. "But you did learn from the best." 

The sky was turning pink and purple, with drips of orange the closer to the sun you looked. We were running out of rides, and things to eat. Lisa made us stop at almost every snack cart. Popcorn, ice cream, slushies. Surprisingly, none of us were puking our guts out in a nearby trash can. Our young stomachs were made of steel, apparently. Not even the roller coasters could throw them off. 

I kept with Chanyeol most of the day, even being with the whole group. Jennie and Kai were lip-locked every chance they could be, but we had all called that from the beginning. However, hanging out with them all was effortless. Lisa was sassy, snapping and putting the boys in places when she needed to. I wanted to ask if Chanyeol saw the way Sehun would secretly glance at her, but I didn't need to ask. His eyes watched me as I watched them and gave a tiny nod that my observation was right. 

"He has no balls to tell her." Chanyeol whispered. "With her moving across the country soon, he might lose his chance." 

"He should try." I tilted my head and watched Lisa grin at Sehun. It was obvious to everyone but them. My eyebrow arched, thinking that the boy who hadn't left my side all day could have lost his chance too. "Where were your balls?"

"Excuse you?" Chanyeol laughed, shaking his head in disbelief at my jab. His lips parts to retort and argue back but both of our attention feel to my other side when a different hand took my free hand. 

Baekhyun beamed down still our now joined hands, swinging it joyfully back and forth. It was a friendly, platonic move but he was odd. So odd that it made me laugh with my whole chest. Chanyeol looked a little less pleased. 

"Hey, Rosie." Baekhyun pipped. 

My cheeks hurt from smiling. This group was something. "Hi, Baekhyun. What's up?"

"I haven't gotten a chance to get to know you that much because someone has been way too greedy if you ask me." It didn't take a genius to know who his words were directed at. 

"Baek..." Chanyeol groaned, trying to pull me away. 

Baekhyun's brows furrowed with fake hurt, pulling me back. "Um, Chanyeol. If you can't tell, we are trying to have a conversation here." 

Another pull, "What could you possibly have to say?" 

"Maybe I want to get to know her!" Baekhyun cried dramatically, "Especially if you might be her ride later. If you get what I'm sayi—"

I couldn't even cover my face, both being held by the two boys beside me to hide the roaring blush that took over my face. I wasn't innocent, by any means and there was no way Chanyeol was either. Not with how some of our kisses had been, how tight his hand would grip at my neck. There was obvious tension, very very obvious tension but that didn't stop the embarrassment of hearing it. 

"Baek, I swear to God if you don't shut up—" Chanyeol begged, breaking his hand from mine and yanked Baekhyun back away to scold. I could hear his deep voice mutter warnings, there was a 'don't mess this up for me' that was more audible than he thought. 

"You'll get used to him." 

The comment startled me, whipping my head away from them. Sehun walked beside me, having fall back from the group. Maybe because I was now walking alone. 

"Which one?" I mumbled, biting at the inside of my cheek to stop the thoughts and butterflies that Baekhyun's comment had caused. 

Sehun chuckled, pushing his lips into a line and nodded in agreement. "Good point. But mostly Baekhyun. He has no filter that is usually only funny when we all have been drinking." 

My eyes caught Kai and Jennie in front of us, Lisa too busy taking pictures of everyone. Candid and all. "You all seem really close." 

"All of us, minus Jennie, have known each other since elementary school. We literally fight like siblings. Those two the most." He nodded back to the still bickering boys. 

"And you and Lisa?" The hint in my voice pulled Sehun's attention quickly. 

His head shook, "He told you? That bastard."

"Now, why am I a bastard?" 

My shoulder weighed with Chanyeol's arm draping across me, the fight with Baekhyun now long forgotten. These boys were exhausting but in the best possible way. There was never a dull moment. He leaned down to place a sloppy and chaste kiss on my cheek. 

"You get the girl for not even a full day and suddenly drunken nights with the bros where secrets were spilled now means nothing." Sehun shot at him quietly, sending daggers with his glare. 

Chanyeol paused for a moment as his brows curled in concentration. "Yes okay, deserved. But look at her? She's so pretty." 

I rolled my eyes, ignoring yet another cheesy comment from those lips I suddenly wanted to shut up with my own. "She feels the same, you know." 

"Oh okay, says the girl who didn't see that a boy had a full blown crush on her for the whole year." Sehun argued back sarcastically. 

"That was different!" 

"Eh." Now it was both of them, Chanyeol agreeing with him. My mouth fell into a gasp as I flipped to look at him. His eyes widened in worry and some fear. Adorable. "No, totally. It's completely different. You're right." 

My lips curled into a triumphant smile, loud and proud at my control. "See? Now buck up, Sehun. Get the girl." 

He looked down at his feet, "You non single people are annoying." 

"A carousel!" 

Sehun's head snapped up, hearing Lisa squeal from excitement. Jennie commented about it being the perfect ride to end the night now that it was near dark. The music was classic and lights bright, illuminating the pavement and trees around us in the warmest glow. Baekhyun called dibs on the stallion, saying that it was fitting for someone like himself and took off in a sprint to get in line. 

"Now's your time, man." Chanyeol's hand lifted from my shoulder and shoved Sehun, sending him towards Lisa. His best friend huffed in nervous frustration before jogging up to the rest of the group. Chanyeol relaxed almost instantly, his hand taking place where it should be. Right in mine. 

"Back to important things." He sighed, letting go of whatever annoyance they had caused and looked to me at his side. 

"You really don't like sharing, do you?" 

"When it comes to finally having your attention? Not at all. I'm greedy." He replied with a toothy smile. 

I teased him by unclasping our hands and dangling myself in front of him as we filtered into the small line. "You are full of tricks and smooth lines, huh?"

"And great kisses." 

He already caught onto my weakness, catching up and gripping at my waist before I could breath. His lips touched mine, just as playful as his chuckled when I gave in almost instantly. It was the way they could melt me, right in my place and into his possession. Almost like it was where I belonged from the very beginning. Nothing about it was uncomfortable or awkward. 

We both ignored Kai yelling at us to find someplace to bone. It started to feel like at this rate, it was only a matter of time. Today, tomorrow, next week. There was something changing and turning quickly with each small tug of my hand to the tease of my tongue. He left me breathless when he pulled away, smirking in his millionth victory today and nudged me through the gate. 

I tried my hardest to act unaffected, although I could feel the flush on my face. I stopped at the edge of the carousel and looked around as our friends scattered. Sehun was hunched over laughing when Lisa picked the rooster and made a suggestive joke, only flustering me more. Clearing my throat, I moved my hair away from my neck and to the side to help with the heat on my skin only for him to place another one of his kisses on the slope of my shoulder. 

"Pick an animal." He suggested, calm and casual while butterflies raged inside me. Angry at his effect. 

"The elephant." I breathed, moving to the first animal I saw. 

It just happened to be the tallest one, and the one next to it being the smallest. A mouse. Chanyeol didn't even complain, reaching out to tap the top of it. From the hottest man alive to back to the softest puppy, my heart could barely take it. He moved to help me up, not even letting me attempt to struggle before gripping at my waist to set me on top of my choice. His eyes inspected it, looking innocently at the hard plastic animal. It was almost like I could see his gears turning, wondering if carousel animals would be his next weird google search. 

My hands never left his shoulders, neither had his hands on my waist. By the time Chanyeol broke out of his mind and glanced the little height difference up, the ride moved. Air swirling around us. 

His hands trailed from my waist, falling to rest on my exposed thighs. Goosebumps erupted over my skin, prickling at my senses. His touch was something else. Nothing had ever made my heart beat so loud. My fingers lifted and traced over the curve of one of his ears that poked out from his backwards hat. I wanted to take in every detail of him in this moment. Chanyeol's was glowing softly against the lights around us, the bulbs adding even more stars in my new favorite galaxy that he expressed in his eyes. My heart paused when his lips parted, moving to speaking but he stopped. 

"Say it." I whispered. I wanted to hear what his eyes were soundlessly saying. 

"I'm crazy about you, Rosie." 

His voice shook, not sounding nearly as confident as he did just a moment ago. Yet he had nothing to be worried about. Chanyeol was the boy that girls dreamed of finding, and here he was. Right in front of me. The attachment grew larger and larger with every look or touch, bigger than I could even contain inside. It was crazy, and absolutely insane but there was no way a love like this existed. But that was just one more thing he had proven to be right. It hit me harder than I ever thought it could. 

My hands rested aside his neck gently running my thumb softly along the hard line of his jaw as I beamed. His pulse was so fast, I could feel it against my palm. If only he could feel mine. 

"Glad I'm not the only one loosing my cool." 

————

The car was quiet and dark, lights from passing cars and the occasional orange flash of the blinker passed through the windows. I only saw peaks of my friend's—old and new— faces every time the light flashed across the inside of his car. They were all fast asleep. 

Sehun had called shotgun this time, beating everyone to the passenger side seat. His body was slumped against the seat, like he hand slipped down as far as he could. His arms crossed and Chanyeol's hat dipped onto his face to cover his eyes. Kai sat by the opposite window, asleep with Jennie's head laying in his lap, her feet were atop my legs. Baekhyun and Lisa took the very back, the lucky ones with the most room to sleep. 

My head rested against the cool window, directly behind Chanyeol who drove silently, humming and singing every so often to the song playing. From my position, I had the perfect view of him through the side mirror on the outside of the car. There was nothing else I would rather watch. Sometimes his eye brow would crease, a small pout taking over his bottom lip if he saw a car making a questionable lane change. 

I had never not wanted to leave a car so badly in my life. 

Leaning against the back of his seat, my arms curled around his shoulders, my hands draping down just slightly onto his chest. I had already begun to crave his scent, missing it when it wasn't surrounding me. I wasn't ready to let it go. A quiet sigh left my lips, the air through the window too loud for anyone to hear. 

The day was over, and it hadn't felt like nearly enough time. 

I didn't want it to end, I didn't want to leave the confines of his car or the confines of his eyes, looking at me from the rear view mirror. I wanted the hours back with Chanyeol that I had stupidly pushed away this year. We had all summer but it didn't feel like it. My body crept forward enough to rest my chin onto his shoulder instead. Chanyeol's eyes fell on me at his side before going back to the road. 

"Don't take me home yet." I muttered quietly against the fabric of his shirt. 

"Wasn't planning on it." 

————

None of them questioned the order that Chanyeol dropped them off in, too tried to really care. One by one they left the car and into their homes, Kai going with Jennie expectedly. Sehun was the last to leave, throwing Chanyeol's hat back at him before mumbling 'bye, asshats' and shutting the car door. I texted Alice to cover for me, whatever she made up would work. She owed me for the amount of times I had done the same for her throughout the years. 

"Get up here where you belong." Chanyeol gesture with his head and slapped the worn  
leather of the passenger seat with his hand. 

I climbed over the middle console and settled into where he told me to. "What's our plan, whatever boy?"

"Two-step plan this time." He explained as he began to drive again. "First stop is the gas station for snacks. And then the final step is our destination, but I'm not telling you that part."

"This plan already seems much better than your last one."

"What is that supposed to mean?" 

"Well," I laughed, feeling the air through the windows as he rolled them down. "It's not like your initial plan today went smoothly, Chanyeol." 

My hair whipped around, already stringy from the whole day at the park. I pulled it into a high ponytail, already feeling comfortable enough around him that I didn't care if it was messy and lop-sided. Chanyeol's sneaky glances only settled that feeling deeper. Never had I felt so at ease around someone other than Jennie or the girls from volleyball.

"But you trusted me, right?" He smiled, eyes back on the road. "Or were you lying to me earlier and now you regret even saying yes to me in the first place?"

My teeth pulled at my bottom lip. He wanted to hear the words aloud again, but instead, I grabbed for his phone in the middle cup holder. "Depends, do I have free reign over the music?" 

"You expect me to say no to you?" 

"Then no, I don't regret trusting you." I held my chin.

Chanyeol laughed, curling in his lips. "I see how it is. You're a bargaining girl." 

"It helps me get what I want in the end." I shrugged jokingly. 

"The password is 1127, by the way." He nodded at the phone in my hand. The background was of who I guessed was him in snowboarding gear, holding small kid at the shoulders and they both stood on their boards 

I took off my shoes and placed my feet up against the dashboard. "Who's this?" 

He looked over, a grin twitching on his mouth. "My niece, Ella. We are a family of avid skiers and snowboarders, so we take a trip to Tahoe a couple times during winter. That was this last January, she's just learning."

"Awe, Uncle Chanyeol!" I sang, looking at how his cheeks hinted in a blush. 

"It's a lot of fun, to be honest." Chanyeol began. His eyes were locked on the road but still wrinkled and winked as he talked. "I'm the cool uncle, my sister hates it because apparently Ella is turning into a mini me." 

"Oh that can't be good." 

He scoffed, "Oh god no, I was a terror child." 

"I am not the slightest bit surprised by that." I laughed, the car filling with his as he joined. Just the idea of the smaller version of him was exhausting. 

Chanyeol pulled his car into the gas station, telling me that I better have music playing by the time he got back out to the car. I wasn't allowed in with him, saying it was part of his plan. I had to be surprised by the snacks apparently. He jogged in like a man on yet another mission, like he was still trying to make it the best last day but he already had. 

Opening up the music app, I shifted through his library. Full of all kinds, but mostly hip hop or alt rock. Very boyish taste in music but still good nonetheless. He had a full list of playlists titled random things and emojis that made absolutely no sense. I had full reign over what we listened to, but I wanted to know him and what all these little playlists meant. 

Learning about him was all so new and fascinating. He had a niece, he was going to Stanford. Chanyeol had a whole life that I had no idea about. I wanted to know everything as simple as his favorite color or food to everything complex, like how he acted when he was upset. Or sad. Happy. I wanted to see it all. The playlists were forgotten as my mind drifted with my eyes through the windows of the gas station. His now hoodie clad shoulders and backwards hat covered head bopped through the isles. 

Chanyeol Park wasn't just a class clown, not even close. 

He handed me the bag of whatever he had boughten when he got back into the car, noticing my soft facial expression. 

"What?" He smiled slowly. 

"I'm sorry." 

Chanyeol furrowed his brows and laughed, "For not having music playing? Rosie, I was kiddin—"

I leaned over the middle console, delicately placing both hands on either side of his face and kissed his lips, stopping him in the middle of his sentence. The music isn't what I was sorry for, and really I had nothing to be sorry for but it's all I could feel. I was sorry for never seeing him, actually seeing him. It made no sense. Why I felt this way was useless and stupid, but that's what I liked the most about being with him. Chanyeol made me feel more, all the heart flutters, adrenaline, and flashes of lost time. 

His eyes were still closed when mine fluttered open, the tip of my nose brushed against his. "I'm sorry for never seeing how cool you were." 

"I'm cool?" He teased, searching into my eyes. "That only compliment I'll never need. But I never want to hear the words 'I'm sorry' come from those gorgeous lips ever again." 

Chanyeol's fingers wrapped around one of my hands that rested on the side of his face and brought it to his mouth to place a quick kiss. "Understood?"

I nodded, grinning at his sweet action. 

"Good." He smiled charmingly, his dimple winking at me. "Now let's go officially start our summer." 

————

"Is this where you murder me?"

His Land Rover cut through a barely marked tire path, overgrown with tall grass and pitted with bumpy holes in the sand. It was completely dark, only the headlights from his car was the only form of light I saw. The drive had been over an hour, but it felt like minutes with him. All spent joking and bickering, singing with the occasional kiss on the cheek from me. One of the times, he had just been too cute to resist, the other was from his silent order as he tapped his cheek with his finger. 

Being with him, in this way, was effortless. 

"Lucky for you, blood creeps me out." Chanyeol replied, making a face of disgust. "And if u killed you, who would I share the snacks and the flask of whiskey I stashed away this morning with?"

"Oh, you rule breaker." I sang, teasing him. 

He squinted into the darkness in front of him as he drove, fixated on wherever he was taking us. "I obviously won't be having a lot of it, since I have a gorgeous girl to drive back home sometime tonight." 

My shoulders shrugged, it was summer and though my parents would probably kill me if they found out what I was actually doing, currently driving late at night with a boy I had met same day, I didn't care. "My sister is covering for me. I'm not too worried." 

"And if you get caught?" 

"Worth it." I curled my lips into a smirk as Chanyeol glanced over for a moment. 

He clicked his tongue against his teeth, "My God, what have I created?" 

My voice hummed in my chest, "Look who is regretful now." 

"Never." 

"Are you finally going to tell me where we are going?" I squinted out the window. 

Chanyeol steered the car, flipping it around before throwing it in reverse. "Roll down the window and listen." He seemed to know exactly where he was, like the pitch darkness was his stomping ground. Following his suggestion, my finger pressed down the switch. The air was much cool, enough to need a sweatshirt. But it was the sound that gave it away. 

Waves. 

"The ocean?" 

With a soft click, Chanyeol switched his headlight brights on, glowing bright against the white structure of a lifeguard shack. It was enough to cast onto our surroundings, making tall shadows and the sand spotted with contrast. He had faced the back of his car towards the waves close enough to see the midnight blue water. My eyes took a minute to adjust when I stepped out, the sand sinking underneath my shoes. 

"I work here, every summer as a lifeguard." He explained, opening the back of his trunk and placing the bag of snacks in the back. Turning towards the waves, Chanyeol's head darted up and down the beach with a soft smile. "It's kind of my favorite place." 

"Do you run down the beach, shirtless and in slow motion?" I mused, imaging the fine scene in my head. 

"All the time." Chanyeol winked as he sat down on the edge of his car. He fished into his pocket, pulling out a silver flask and offered it to me. 

There was something so unbelievably cliche about it all. Meeting a boy and never wanting to leave his side, ending the day at a beach with hidden alcohol and lustful looks. I had never felt so youthful, he was bringing out a side of me I hadn't known was there.

My finger's brushed his when I took the whiskey from his grasp, uncapping it. "Are you working here this summer?" 

"I am." He nodded, watching as I took a swing. We both laughed when I made a face from the strong bite. "It's the last summer I can." 

"Before you become a Stanford boy." 

Chanyeol chuckled, glancing at me when I sat close beside him. "So they told you?" 

"I always wondered how you were always the first one to finish tests in chemistry but now it makes sense. You are a secret genius." I pondered, handing back the flask. 

"It's not that big of a deal." He replied bashfully, looking off to the side to take his own pull. 

"Sure it is." My shoulder bumped into his bicep. "That's amazing Chanyeol. What are you going to study?"

"Chemical Engineering. Mess with molecules and shit." Chanyeol hissed at the taste of the liquor. 

I leaned my head against his shoulder, looking out at the waves and reflection from the moon above us. "It's weird, leaving high school. Isn't it?"

He sighed, "Yeah, I'm not sure how I feel about it yet." Chanyeol turned his head, resting his chin on the top of my hair. 

"I want to pause time. I just know this summer is going to go by way too fast." My throat tightened. 

"Don't think about that." He muttered softly, "Think about spending all your days here at the beach with me, getting that beautiful body tan while watching me role play as a Baywatch character just for you." 

I giggled, loving every bit of that idea. "My ideal summer."

"The perfect summer, if you ask me." Chanyeol brushed his lips against my temple as I looked up to view him staring down at me. The whiskey already tingled at my system, his eyes doing even more than that. 

"What are these snacks that you wouldn't let me look at?" I looked back into the truck, grasping at the bag to cut the tension. 

"Gas stations must-haves, of course." Chanyeol announced. 

A purple bag, instantly recognized as I pulled it out. "Takis?" I laughed. 

"The best." 

"Haribo gummy bears?" 

"The only acceptable gummy bear in my opinion." His voice was 100% serious. 

Two cold cans were the last items in the bag. "And Bang energy drinks? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I exclaimed, holding up the 300mg of pure caffeine. 

"The night is young, Rosie." Chanyeol beamed, taking one from my grasp and cracking it open. 

"You are insane." I tsked, eyes widening when I knew exactly what his response was going to be. I had set him up perfectly. "Don't you dare—"

"Insane for you." His smile flipped quickly into that cocky smirk. Chanyeol couldn't say anymore as I clasped my hand over his lips, the blush on my cheeks from yet another cheesy line was already too much for me to take. 

His hand found my wrist, strong enough to pull it away and bring me close, capturing me into a sweet kiss. I sighed, unknowingly missing how they felt against mine though it hadn't even been long. I truly couldn't get enough of him. I don't know if I ever could. Every smile in between his kisses or wink of his eye, every cheeky grin and cheesy line. It was all I could want. My hands fell into his hair, tugging him closer. 

Time fused together along with our lips, the soft crash of the waves mixing with our breaths. The snacks were now completely forgotten, pushed to the side and to the back of my mind. Our day had been enough of a tease, with his wet clothes, questionable snapped food and bare skinned kisses. This wasn't like me, to be so willing towards someone I had known for a day, straddling his lap while the cool air around us heated, but Chanyeol was different. He held onto me tightly, keeping me right in place. It made me feel secure and wanted, needed even when his mouth turned hungry. 

It was the opposite of what I thought his appetite would be like, even with the tiny glimpses that he had shown in his kisses that I had brushed off as teenage hormones. Chanyeol was effortlessly in control. He didn't lack confidence, even with the slight hesitation every now and then in his touches. His hand would fall from its grip on my neck and hover over my chest, making the contact myself as I pulled him closer. He was being respectful when he didn't need to be. I wanted this just as much as I could feel he did. 

"Rosie." He breathed, pulling away. "We can stop." His head nodded as worry rushed into his star eyes.

"I don't want to." I whispered back as my thumb ran along the line of his lips. "But if you want to..."

Chanyeol's throat bobbed as he swallowed nervously. "God no, are you kidding?" He laughed softly, "The girl of my dreams is straddling me in the trunk of my car. But I don't want to feel rushed or uncomfortable."

My forehead touched his as I leaned closer, brushing my lips against his as I shushed him silent. "I'm saying yes, Chanyeol." 

His mouth grew into a wide smile as my hands slipped under his shirt, pulling it at the edges over his head. My lips pulsed from the earlier bites and caresses of his own, curling them between my teeth. Chanyeol was so much more than a silly high school boy, his body told a whole different side of the story. A toned and wide chest, golden skin, the tiniest of moles in the most kissable places. What young woman wasn't a sucker for abs, my hands instantly being drawn to his definition. 

It felt unknown, but not in the scary way. There was no nervousness, no second thoughts. He made me feel completely comfortable, eyes bright as he lifted the tank top from my body, venturing his hands to the thin skin against my ribs and gently guided my closer. His kisses were slow and playful, our smiles, soft laughs and breaths giving us the second we needed to wrap our heads around every feeling. Chanyeol clasped under my thighs and flipped us over softly, placed us deeper into his car.

My clothes were quick to come off, the green light giving him all he needed to set me up to be worshiped. Chills spread across my skin when he looked up from removing my underwear. memorizing the lines of my legs and curves of my body slowly before meeting my lust hooded eyes. 

"God, Look at you..." Chanyeol whispered, out of breath from the thrill as his hand traced over the slope of my breasts and down to my hips. 

His expression was serious, so much different then he had been almost all day. Gone were the smirks and winks. Chanyeol was looking down at me, naked and beneath him, like I had never seen anyone look at me before. He was savoring me, taking his time as his eyes trailed along with his hands. His lips parted, speechless and too lost in me to say anything else. And I was too lost in watching him to interrupt. 

Whether he meant to or not, the light touch built my excitement more than any past experience. My breath quickened each time his lips placed a lingering kiss where he pleased. I arched into his palm when I wanted more contact. He was still being too hesitant for what I had the patience for. I was here and in his grasp, completely ready for him. A small whimper escaped my lips at the same moment circled two fingers against the ache between my legs that he had caused. I bit my lip and beckoned him for more with my hips. 

"Rosie." He breathed, a new tone of want laced into his rasp as he teased. "Don't be shy. I want to hear you." 

The moan fluttered from my chest, writhing into his fingers as he pushed deeper. Chanyeol worked them slowly, wanting to hear more and more with each sound he coaxed out of me. He dipped down upon my chest, memorizing me in the best way he knew with his lips—his tongue not just gifted for witty humor. He read my reaction quicker than I could register, knowing exactly where to give attention, how to get me to the pleasure he chased. 

His travels left him between my thighs, my hands knotted tightly into his dark hair when I felt myself completely coming undone. His fingers circled, in complete unison with his tongue. It was overwhelming, making sweat mix with the humidity of our heat form over my skin. 

"Chanyeol," My voice whimpered, shuttering to form words. "Not— shit, not yet." 

"Come." 

It was his voice. My body curled and arched into him, pulling at his hair with force while I trembled. Nothing could compare, not even times I had done it myself. Chanyeol gripped my thighs, keeping them from closing out of reflex. I groaned in bliss, sucking in the bottom of my lip as I came down, my chest breathing heavily. 

"You didn't tell me you could do that." I remarked with an airy breath. 

"There's a lot I can do." The smile was apparent in his snarky reply, leaning up to remove the rest of his clothing. His hands were quick to pull the condom from the wallet in his jeans, rolling it into place before hovering back above me. Chanyeol smiled, his flushed face and galaxy eyes visible and right in front of me. He placed a soft kiss on the tip of my nose, moving to my lips and along my jaw before aligning himself. 

He was gifted with size just like his height. It was enough to make my breath hitch for a moment, but I wasn't even the slightest bit surprised. Chanyeol had a confidence in him that couldn't be faked. I stilled, adjusting to it all. Rather him. He watched my expression intently, eyes searching over every feature. My mouth curled into a reassuring smile to calm him. 

He drew his hips, pulling my leg at his side. An unforgiving moan calling for him echoed from deep in my chest as my nails gripped at his wide shoulders. It was almost natural for him to be so incredibly good. Most boys fumbled, too flustered to even thrust properly, or were too caught up in the pleasure to focus on anything else. But not him. From the start of the day, Chanyeol had put me first. Just like he was now. It didn't matter if it was a practiced skill or a match made in sexual chemistry heaven. Regardless, I was feeling the every benefit it came with.

"Fuck, you're tight." Chanyeol's baritone voice vibrated against the skin of my neck. His soft lips placed a delicate kiss under my ear as he eased me into a new pace. His shaky deep breath in said it all, that I wasn't the only one completely lost.

I pulled him close by the neck, loving the feeling of his chest against mine and how his arms tensed with each of his movements as he rocked into me. With each pull at his skin with my hands or rake of my nails down his back, Chanyeol deepened his hips and settled into the perfect rhythm. His dark head of air was buried into my shoulder, but I wanted to see him. 

Pushing lightly on his chest, I got his attention and replaced his confusion with a kiss, rolling us over. His board back leaned against the corner of the door and back of the driver seat, propping himself up enough. Moisture made his toned chest glow, the windows now fogging up due to the heat. Chanyeol's hand settled in my waist and high up on my ribs as guided back down onto him, my head tipping back in a low moan at the sensation. 

It took only pleasurable minutes, savoring my hips against his while his lips latched to my neck, pulling at my hair and taking it away from the skin he wanted to mark. His hoarse voice whispered my name, taking me with him by just the sound as everything within me knotted. Twice had he made me lose my composure, my head falling onto his shoulder. The pads of his fingers dug into my waist, taking a handful of my ass while my body shuddered against him. How foolish I had been to think he was just a boy. 

We sounded completely out of breath, sighs of content and whispers of curse words filling the hot car. Lifting my head from his shoulder, a wash of after-sex shyness took over, my hands flew to cover my face while an airy laugh echoed from my lips. 

"No, no. Don't hide." He hushed and pulled at my hands, still chasing his breath. 

"I can't believe we just did that." I bit my swollen lips, meeting his eyes hesitantly. I didn't regret it one bit, but a girl has worries. 

"I can." He grinned down at our still connected bodies, making me blush even more. Chanyeol gently moved me to his side, wiping at his drips of sweat and disposed of the condom with the empty snack bag before pushing open the trunk door once again. The cool air rushed around us. 

"Oh my god wait!" I exclaimed, fumbling to grab my clothes scattered around and cover my nude body. "What if someone sees?" 

His lips pushed into a line as he shrugged, poking his head out into the air. All of him completely out in the open. "It's got to be close to 2am, I doubt anyone will be walking by. And if they do, lucky them." 

I laughed and shook my head, my blonde hair waving from the humidity. His push to be so carefree still took me by surprise each time. Chanyeol viewed everything so much differently than I did, or rather used to. He was showing me it all though his eyes, exactly how he saw it. And as he whipped his head back to me, the look on his flushed face and fullness of his eyes reflected each emotion he felt towards me. I saw it all. 

"What?" He smiled, crawling back to where I was and laid down on his back. Naked and unashamed. 

In the beginning, it had been so alarming to be losing my cool so quickly for someone I didn't know. But now I couldn't imagine my days without even just a glimpse of him, without a playful kiss from his lips. I couldn't tell the future, yet I knew I wanted him in it. We were young and that was the best part of it all, Chanyeol brought out the best in my own youth. He brought out the best smiles and laughs, along with sensual sounds that I had never heard myself make before. 

I couldn't let that go. 

"You're going to Stanford." 

His chest rumbled in a soft chuckle, watching me as I leaned above him. "Yes, I thought we established that earlier." 

"And I'm going to UCLA." My voice sounded foreign to my own ears, small and hesitant. Nervousness flooded into my system, worried that maybe what I was about to say would be rejected and that today was just supposed to be today. Our only day. 

"Which you are going to take by storm." Chanyeol reassured, but attending UCLA wasn't the source of my sudden change of demeanor like he must have thought. 

"Yeah, yeah." I smiled at his adorable effort, drawing X's and O's and other meaningless shapes on his skin. "But I've been thinking..."

His eyes were shining, watching me with curiosity and a small wash of worry. My finger traced a line down his sternum to try and align my next words though they were so simple. 

"I like us, and I like you." 

Chanyeol raised a hand, pushing back the fallen pieces of my hair behind my ear. "And you know how I feel about you." He smiled when my touch found the dimple in his cheek. 

"It wouldn't be impossible." My teeth pulled at my bottom lip, watching his brows furrow. "It's five hours, give or take with traffic. We could fly or drive and it would suck only seeing each other when we could but, I want this." 

"This." Chanyeol repeated, the stars in his eyes sparkled with a whole new brightness. "Rosie... don't play with me here."

My smile grew by the second, matching his exactly. "I promise I'm not." 

"You mean you tell me that not only did I successfully sway you about Six Flags, but that I got laid and a girlfriend all in the same day?" He said in awe, "Now that is king shit." 

He was unbelievable. My hand smacked his chest, it apparently had been too long since he last made my eyes roll. "Go ahead, bathe in all your glory." 

Chanyeol angled onto his elbows, coming only inches away from my lips. His eyes danced over my expression, cheeks warming under his stare. "I will." My body melted into his single, soft kiss. 

"Are you always going to gloat when you win?" I breathed, letting myself fall victim to another one of his amazing kisses. It wasn't fair. 

"Maybe." He chuckled against our gentle contact. 

"Well, maybe I'm beginning to rethink." 

"And then I'll just get you to rethink again."

The low and sinful tone of his voice chipped at my fake stubbornness, humming into the feeling of his hands wandering. "I'd love to see you try." 

But he didn't have to, Chanyeol already had me. Full heartedly with each dimpled smile and adoring gaze. 

Somehow, he had made me love more than just roller coasters and amusement parks. 

Chanyeol made me fall in love with overpriced corn dogs, and water rides. He made me fall in love with energy drinks that could give you heart attacks, Takis, and the way he made love. He made me fall in love with the scent of the pine car freshener mixed with humid salt air as he drove me home with the windows down.

Chanyeol had made me fall in love with him. In just 24 hours. 

But telling him was for another day.


End file.
